Load-handling sling



y 13, 1952 e. E. MOORE 2,596,502

LOAp-HANDLING SLING Filed Feb. 17, 1949 George core .CR Tron-JOEY.)

Patented May 13, 1952 TATES rarer?! ormcs :LOA'DAHANDLING SLING .George .E. Moore, LMuskegon, .Mich., assignor. to fManni j miMaxwell & Moore,'Inc., Muskegon, 7Mich., a, corporation of New Jersey ,jApplicationj'Eebruary 17, .1949, -Serial No..7.6;914

"1 Glaim. .11

The ;invention relates .to load-handlin Slings rend-more; particularly to slings. of ,the .type used :inxconnection .with .hoists .for supporting bulky -,or heavy,objects. .to.be lifted.

JI'he ;primary object of the invention is to ,provide an,improved sling of .theabove general character in .which ,angularadjustment of the load may beefiectedwhile the load is suspended.

A.more1;specific.object .is .to provide a load- --handling sling inwhich the relative; len ths. of: the respective legs may be. adjusted ,easilyan dsafely \Whilfi underload and in which the adjustments are.effectively maintained at all times.

Other objects .and advantages of the .invention- -will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of a load-handlingsling embodying the features of the invention.

Fig. 2- is a sectional view taken in a vertical plane substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

:Fig. 31115 a sectional view taken in a vertical ;;plane.substantially on the line..33 ofFig. ,2.

Fig. 4.is;a perspective view of .the load sheave of ;the sling.

-While .the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, I v,have; shown in the drawingmandwill herein ide- :scribeimdetail the preferred embodiment, but it-is to be understood thatll donot therebyintend to limit the invention to'the specific form disclosed, but intend :to cover :all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the .spirit' zandscope of the invention ,as expressed in the appended claim.

The improved sling comprises generally a load block 8 adapted to be suspended from a hoist or the like and having a pair of legs or load-supporting elements 9 and I depending at opposite sides. The load-supporting elements 9 and ID are provided at their lower or free ends with suitable attaching devices, such as hooks H for attachment to an object to be lifted. At their upper ends the elements 9 and ID are anchored at opposite sides of and in laterally spaced relation to the rotational axis of a supporting member 12 journaled on the block 8. Accordingly, by rotating the supporting member the effective lengths the respective elements may be varied to adjust the angular position of the load supported thereby. Suitable drive means, preferably of the selflocking type, is provided for rotating the supporting member l2 manually and for preventing its rotation under the influence of the supported load.

l of the vertical chain links. tionislippagepf the chain-relative to the sprocket Wheel effectually prevented.

While theload blockf8. may be fabricatedirom a casting having spaced parallel side members 13 connected at opposite sides-byintegral front .and rear cross members .14.

The supporting member 12 is carried betweenthe sidemembers I3 andserves to transmit the loadfromthe elements-fl and I-O-to the'block. At theirupper ends hook.

.Invthe exemplary sling, the load-supporting elements 9 and lflconstitute theendportions of "a unitaryfiexiblemember 2!), .herein shown .as va conventional-short linkchain. To providefor the anchoringof the elements, the supporting member I2 is constructed .in the .form of .a

:Sprocket wheel or sheave .having peripherally opening :pockets 2! spaced .apart circumferen- Ltially zthereof :to receive alternate horizontal chain links.

The pockets .21 .are separatedby tooth-like projections 22 spaced apart axially. of the sprocket to define channels for the reception With this construciRotatable support for the sprocket wheel 12 provided .abyqa; shaft ;23-supported between the 'sidermembers |,3.;of;the loadblock -and equipped with a conventional sleeve bushing 24. As indicated above, drive means is provided for rotating the supporting member 12 manually to adjust the legs or 1oad-supporting elements 9 and I 0 of the sling. The drive means preferably comprises a self-locking mechanism operative to prevent rotation of the member under the influence of the load imposed on the load-supporting elements thus serving to automatically maintain the adjustment. As herein shown, the drive means comprises a worm 25 (Figs. 1 and 2) fixed on a shaft 26 journaled in the cross members 14 and suitably anchored against axial movement. The worm 25 is positioned to coact with a worm wheel 21 rigid with the member [2, the worm wheel in this instance, being formed integral with and at one end of the member. The shaft 26 is extended at one side of the load block 8 and is squared as at 28 for the reception of a wrench or hand crank whereby it may be conveniently rotated.

Due to the side-by-side arrangement of the supporting member l2 and worm wheel 21, the load applied to the block 8 through the elements 9 and I will be slightly ofi center. In order to prevent tilting of the block, provision is made for locating the connection with the hoist line directly above the elements. In the present instance this is accomplished by forming the cross member 16 with a circumferential hook-locating groove 29 appropriately located with respect to the chain-receiving pockets of the supporting member.

In the operation of the improved sling, the legs or elements 9 and it are attached to the load at laterally spaced points by means of the hooks ll. These hooks may engage directly with suitable portions of the load or conventional connecting devices such as load rings 30 may be employed. When the load is to be suspended in a horizontal position the elements 9 and IU of the sling are adjusted to equal lengths, as shown in Fig. 1. Alternatively, either element may be lengthened and the other shortened correspondingly if the load is to be tilted at anangle or if the points of connection with the sling are disposed in different horizontal planes.

Such adjustments may be readily efiected after a load has been lifted by simply turning the worm shaft 26 in the proper direction. This serves to turn the supporting member I2 to which the elements are anchored, thereby appropriately varying the effective lengths of the elements. By reason of this adjustability while under load, the sling is particularly well adapted for use in installing or removing engines in automotive, marine or other motorized equipment. For this purpose it may be attached to the engine while adjusted to the position shown in Fig. 1, and after an initial lift it maybe adjusted to change the angle of the load as required. This is advantageous when the engine hasa trans mission attached thereto or has other projecting parts requiring tilting to clear obstructions. The adjustments, of course, are effectively maintained due to the locking action of the worm and worm wheel.

I claim as my invention: I

A load-handling sling comprising, in combination, a load block having a one-piece frame consisting of a single open casting, said frame including two flat upright side members having a generally elliptical configuration larger at the lower end than at the upper end, said side memhere being spaced apart from each other and interconnected at their upper ends by a generally cylindrical top cross member forming an integral part of said side members and shaped for cooperation with a support member, an axle shaft extending between the central sections of the broad lower portions of said side members and located upwardly a substantial distance from the lower ends of said members, a generally round load supporting element rotatably mounted on said axle shaft, a load carrying chain disposed over said element and having opposite ends extending downwardly from opposite sides thereof, said element including an annular sheave having indentations thereon for receiving links of said chain in non-slip relation and an annular worm wheel integrally formed with said sheave and spaced from said indentations along said axle shaft, the diametrical dimensions of said rotatable element being commensurate with but slightly less than the width of said side members so that said side members cover opposite ends of said element in protective relation thereto, two opposed side cross members disposed generally parallel to said top cross member and connecting opposed front and rear portions of the vertical side edges of said side members, said side cross members being integrally formed with said side members and located substantially on a level with the upper extension of said worm wheel, a shaft journaled in said side cross members to extend across said worm wheel, and a worm on said shaft meshing with said worm wheel. 7

' GEORGE E. MOORE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Feb. 3. 1906 

